Depp Will Get Press, But Band P Is For Real

Music

April 28, 1995|By Dallas Morning News

Capitol Records insists that P, which has signed a one-record deal with the label, is a band - not just a vehicle for actor Johnny Depp - and the headstrong lineup of Butthole Surfers front man Gibby Haynes, Bill Carter and Viper Club owner Sal Jenco would agree.

Still, there's no doubt where most of the attention will go when the album is released in late summer. ''We got a (type of) record deal that has never existed before,'' Carter says, ''and we know it's because Johnny's in the band. We're not kidding ourselves.''

Due to Depp's movie schedule, the contract was structured to limit P's commitment to Capitol. A key point was that no one from the label was allowed in the studio during the recording.

P made its live debut two years ago at the Austin Music Awards, and it seemed like a one-off project at the time, but the members have stayed in touch and jammed together on many occasions. ''It's just been a good time with a bunch of friends,'' Carter says. ''We've been playing a little bit of everything - from country and blues to rock and reggae, and, of course, a lot of it is sick and hilarious because Gibby's been writing most of the lyrics.''

Carter says the perception of Johnny Depp as another actor who's trying to be a musician is off-base. ''Some people don't realize that Johnny moved to L.A. (from Kentucky) with his rock 'n' roll band. He played guitar for many, many years before he started acting for a living. He's in P because he loves music and he loves to play the guitar.''